Forgiveness is a Choice

I have been mulling over the idea of forgiveness since I was listening to a call-in radio show a few weeks ago on this subject.

It's one of those things that seems like you understand but then when you really stop and think about it, you realize you don't. Anybody else had that feeling? Maybe it's just me. I have been really thinking about it a lot and trying to wrap my head around it and I think I've come to some conclusions.

Before you can really discuss this subject with anyone else, determining their view on morality is key. Christians believe that God created the world in a perfect state but that got ruined when sin entered. Sin changed everything. Now there's a big gap between mankind and God but God wants us to be near him. We can't be near him when we have sin so he gave us a solution. He sent his son in a human form to earth and sacrificed him on the cross as payment for our sins so that we can be forgiven. If you don't believe that, you really can't understand what forgiveness is all about.

As I drift back to that radio show, I remember hearing numerous stories of people who carry regret in varying degrees over things they did or said or didn't do or say to those important in their lives. My first thought is, "wow...they sure do carry a lot of guilt!" But guilt cannot be a substitute for forgiveness. Forgiveness lets go of everything. I began to wonder if those people really understood what forgiveness is.

Over the past few weeks, the idea of forgiveness has not been far from my mind as there has been a lot of mention of a forgiveness conference that is touring across Canada. This conference is strongly supported by the churches and we are encouraged to go and participate in an effort to show our support. It is a response from the Native peoples to Prime Minister Harper's public apology for what the European immigrants inflicted when they migrated to the new world. To give a brief synopsis; there has been an unrest and in some cases, animosity from the Native people groups towards the Canadian government that dates back to before the birth of this country. The government and churches over the decades imposed many hurtful programs in an attempt to anglicize the Native people through residential homes. Later, in an effort to make peace, the government "gave" the Natives their lands back in the form of reservations. Needless to say, there has been a large wedge placed between the Natives and the rest of Canada. {Please note that this is a very brief history and not by any means intended to an accurate historical account. I am simply giving some background information for those unfamiliar with that history.}

As I think back in my own life and as I hear about the world's view on forgiveness, I am entirely convinced that forgiveness is a choice. It's not always an easy one but it is a choice. I am boggled by the magnitude of God's choice to place all my (and the rest of the world's) sin on his son and sacrifice him on our behalf. What an amazing act of love! I'm glad that God is who he is and that never changes. He gave his son so that I could be forgiven. Should I not then in turn forgive my fellow man?